Sarah-Jane Szikora was born in County Durham in 1971 and discovered her calling in hospital at age four, drawing with a crayon despite having one eye bandaged. She attended Harrogate and Cleveland Art Colleges, specializing in illustration, and has worked as a freelance artist since 1991. Her exaggerated figures, often fat and thin, explore society’s obsession with appearance and body image.
Sarah-Jane Szikora at a glance
- Born: 1971, County Durham, England
- Nationality: British
- Known for: Witty illustrations of exaggerated figures about body image
- Medium: Illustration, with prints, books, sculpture and ceramics
- Education: Harrogate and Cleveland Art Colleges
- Career: Freelance artist since 1991
- Website: sarah-janeszikora.com
Her work is instantly recognizable for its quirkiness and wit, but it also offers a thoughtfulness about the human condition. She draws from difficult personal experiences, including her mother’s dementia and her own long-term sight problems. Her art examines the distorted bodies and deep fascination with food that stem from her own eating disorder.
“My objective is to find the common thread that connects us and I hope that empathy is at the heart of my work.”
Her work has been exhibited in galleries across the UK and overseas, and reproduced as limited edition prints, books, sculpture, and Royal Worcester ceramics. She continues to create art that connects with viewers through shared human experiences.